Tank filling apparatus



TNK FILLING APPARATUS Aug. 9, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed May5, 1950 TANK FILLING APPARATUS Original Filed May 5, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet2 Aug. 9, 1960 Original Filed May 5, 1950 H. E. RITTENHOUSE ETAL TANKFILLING APPARATUS 4 sheets-sheet :s

HOWARD E. EtTTENHousE INVEN TOR.

ATTORNEY 4 Aug. 9, 1960 H. E. RrrTENHousE ETAL 2,948,307

TANK FILLING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Original Filed May 5, 1950 ass il an@l any 263 i255 263 245 g l i' a- Q 243 243 au am 47 65 an a1 2.71Howmzo E. RWTENHousE Susawoon Hlm/NTOR.

ATTORNEY ing-.the parts in the tank iilling condition-i United StatesPatent 2,948,307 TANK FnLlNG APPARATUS Howard E. Rittenhouse, FortWayne, and Sherwood Hinds, Columbia City, Ind.,- a'ssgut'lrsv ofone-half to .'Iokheim Corporation, a corporation of Indiana, a'ndonehalf to Bowser, Inc., Fort Wayne, Ind., a' corporation of Indiana foriginal application Mey s, 1950, ser.,No.160,26, Y now Patent No.2,816,567, dated Dec. 17, 1957. .Die vided and this application Feb. 28,1957, Ser; No. 643,911

14 Claims. (Cl. 141-348) This invention relatesV to a tank lillingapparatus. More specifically, itrelates to a quick connection and tanklling mechanism which enables a hose to be quickly attached to the'lower portion of a tank for lilling it. The apparatus will thenautomatically stop the lling operation when a predetermined maximumlevel is attained in the tank so -that the hose may be quickly detachedfrom the tank.

The invention is particularly adap'ted for lling tank truckcompartments. The' present method of filling such tanksl requires thatthe truck be spotted adjacent the loading rack and most racks aredesigned so that only two trucks at a time can be loaded. Y

Further the loading process is slow because the operator must climb ontothe tank, open the compartments, stick them, position the dischargespouts, return to the loading rack and set theV predeterminel'mechanisms on plete, he again climbs onto the tank, removes thespot-lts, closes the compartments, climbs tothe ground-and into thetruck so that he may drive it away. Thisy is -a time consumingprocessand also results in man-y injuries to the operators from falls, etc. A

Itis an object of the invention to eliminate the hazards to the operatorby making it possible to fill the tank compartments Without the operatorleaving the ground.

Another object is to .decrease the time lost in lling the compartmentsby eliminating the climbing, the opening, closing. and sticking -of thecompartments. I

Another object of the invention is to provide facilities in a singlearea which will make it unnecessary to spot the trucks in a particularposition and which will yaclthe same time. I

t is a further object to provide an apparatus which can also beused toempty the compartments. A

A further obj-ect of the invention is to provide means which willprevent over-filling the compartments.k

the meters 'and start the llow. When dispensing is comcordingly make itpossible to fuel many more trucks at w50 These and other objects willbecomey apparent from astudy of the specification andl the drawingswhich are attached hereto `and are made a part hereof and in which: l

Figure 1` is a schematic apparatus in the normal or inoperativeposition.

yFigure 2 is a view siiiiilar to that of Figure 1 show- Figure 3 is aview similar to Figures'vland 2 'but with theparts inthe slow ilowconditionA just, prior to terminating theV iilling opera-tion. I n

Figure 4l` isa-Y side Velevation of `the quick coupling connection withthe hose connected. p

,Figure 5 is aV sectional- View of the nozzle latching and l valveopeningv mechanism taken substantially on thek sectional view showingthe Figure 6` is a sectional view taken substantially on :lie line 6 6of Figure 4 shofvi/il'lgl the nozfzle soc-lieti.

Loading and nlodg controls Referring to Figures 1 to 3, the numeral 1represents a tank which has a bot-tom connection` 3 serving both as theinlet and outlet and which is eomieeied widithe conduit 5 leading diebody 7.

This body has aconnection 9 Wh-ich is joined to the quick coupler body11 vformingV therewith a conduit `13;

In the body 7, the primary valve chamber 15 'come municates with thesecondary valve chamber 17. The secondary valve 21 controlsV theilow Yoffluid under pressure to the passage 19vr which voinl''nnnicate'sVrthrough the secondary venturi or vacuum producing means ZSnd the primaryventuri or voeder-ri producing means 21 with the outlet chamber. Thischamber, in turn, crmun-iones by way of the passage 24 with theeoiiddit's Valve 2l is connected by stent 29 te a piston s1 iiiev: able'inj e cylinder 33. A spring 35 acts on the pistn toliold the valve onits seat. The lower side of die pistoni is' connected througharstr-icted port 36 to chan-i nel '75' and through e pon ss .teveliamber 19', which is elosed by a cheek valve 40.- rne lower side ofthe cylinderY is connected by a conduit 37 with the4 valve chamber 39,in which ya valve stem 41 recipoctes: The stern is urged` downwardly bya spring 46 4acting" a flange 48. The lc'vver'V end of the stein ridesupon a ball valve' 43 which controls a p'o'rt 45 lz'vhicl'l"v opens intothe chamber 17. A spring 47 urgesthe valve toward the' Seat:

The'upperend of the valve stem is connected' nya suitable lost motionconnection Which permits the lever to be depressed without .movi-ng thestem 41rd lever 49Y which is pivotally mounted at 5'1' onA the body T.Ai pin plate S3 is xed to the body and is provided opening 5'5. A.pii'SA is slidably mountedhin the lever and a spring 59 urges* the; pintoward the plate.v lever has a' fingerv 4ZY which engages a pin '44oil-'the stem of the' valve 117 which projects through tlij Aysecondaryrdiaphragm chamber' 61 is provided with aitdiapll'ragm 63 towhich is" attached a stern'65 lvhich projects through 'the/body 7. f A`spring `67 uges the stem outwardly. The diaphrag'gmY 63 carries af valve64 which is adapted to' close the passages 7S'.

'I'he'chamber 61 is connected by conduit 69( to the throat of thesecondary venturi 25. The chamber' i's also'connected by a conduit 71which passes through .thetop of the tankV and terminates in a probehav'i'r'ga relatively' small oriiice 73. The chamber is also' connectedby a channel to' the chamber 33: of the; ondary valve piston'.A rTheprimary'valve 77 is mounted on a stein 779 slidable` in bossv '81 andopens into the chamber 15 to olivtro'lthe port 83. A spring 815 urgesVtheV valvetowrd the seat. Y

A'cylinder 87 is disposed below the valvevv anda piston 89 is slidabletherein. The stem 91 of .the piston is connected by means of lost motionmechanisni to the` stem 79` of the primary valve. Thisl connectioncnnpri'ses` the tub'e 91 lixed to the piston which permits Athevvalvestem to move downwardly relative to the piston. A- hook 93Aengages a projection 95 so that when the piston moves down it will alsomove the stem to open .the valve. Aspring 97 urges the piston upwalidlyeThe upper side of the piston 4is connected'with the Achannel 119- soIthat liquid under pressure is applied to torce the pistonl down'.- 'Iheupper side of' the piston is connectedV through a restricted port 99'to' the'lower side 4"of the piston Which'is also connected by aeonduit'1`011 to the primary diaphragm chamber 103.

A diaphragm '105 is disposed acrossV the chamber and i supports `a stern107 which projects through the body 7. A sp'ring 109 urges the stemoutwardly. The diaphragm 105 carries a valve 106 which is adapted toclose olf the conduits 101 and 111.

The chamber 103 is connected by a conduit 111 with the throat of theprimary venturi 27. Another conduit 113 connects this chamber with thetop of the tank, where it terminates in a probe having a restrictedorice 115.

The orice 115 is disposed at a lower level ythan orilce 73 so that itwill be rst reached by the liquid rising in the tank.

A second or restriction valve 117 is slidably mounted ina boss 119 andis urged toward the port 83 by a spring 121.

Operation The operation of this portion of the device is as follows:

Assuming that iluid under pressure has been applied to 4the channel 13and chambers 15 and 17, the operator by raising the lever 49 for a shorttime will lift valve 43 from port 45 so that liquid under pressure fromchamber 17 will flow through the port into conduit 37 to the under sideof pistou 31. This piston is raised `against the pressure in chamber 17and spring 35 so that liquid will flow into passage 19 and through theventuri jets 25 and 27, chamber 23, conduit 5 and into tank 1. The lever49 may be released and valve 43 closed as soon as the valve 21 is open.

The jet 27 relieves the line 101 and the lower side of the piston 89 sothat the liquid pressure in passage 19 applied to the upper side of thepiston will depress the piston against the force of spring 97 and openthe primary valve 77 against the pressure in chamber 15. This liquidunder pressure then lifts valve 117 and liquid will flow directly toconduit 5 and the tank 1.

The pressure below the piston 31 is relieved through orifice 36 and duct75 by the jet 25 by way of diaphragm chamber 61.

Asjthe liquid fills the tank, liquid continues to flow .through the jetswhich tend to create a vacuum in the diaphragrn chambers 103 and 61, butare unsuccessful because gas is supplied to these chambers from the top`of the tank through the probes 115 and 71, respectively.

However, when the liquid in the tank rises to the level that it coversthe probe 115, the vacuum created by the primary jet is not satisfiedfrom the tank and the diaphragm 105 is drawn to the left `and theconduits 101, 111 are closed. The pressure on the opposite sides of thepiston 89 becomes balanced through the oritice 99 so that the spring 85and the iiow of liquid will close the primary valve 77. Valve 117 willalso be closed by its spring 121. Flow of liquid to the tank continues,however, at a greatly .reduced rate, through valve 21 and the jets untilthe second-ary probe 71 is covered with liquid.

The Vacuum created by the secondary jet then becomes .eiective to seatthe valve 64 so that conduit 75 is closed oit and the pressure above andbelow the piston 31 is equalized through valve 40 from channel 19. Thispermits` spring 35 to close the valve 21. This stops all flow to thetank.

It will also be seen that the ow can be stopped manually by depressingthe shaft 65, should an emergency require. This closes yvalve 21, asdescribed, and since the jets are stopped and pressure in conduit 19 isbalanced across piston 89, by the port 99, the primary valve will close.

The liquid may be drained from the tank by withdrawing the pin S7 inlever 49, rotating the lever to the dotted line position of Figure 2 andreleasing the pin so that spring 59 will seat it in the hole 55. Thelever lifts pin 44 and valve `117 so that the liquid pressure will beap- 4 spring 85 and moves relative to the piston due to the lost motionconnection 93-95 described above.

When the required delivery has been made, pin 57 may be withdrawn andthe handle tilted to the solid line position so that spring 121 mayclose the valve 117 to stop the flow. When the flow through the port isstopped, the spring 85 will return valve 77 "to its seat.

` Coupling and valves Y Since the tank is to be filled from the bottom,it is necessary to provide against loss of tluid should the valves justdescribed fail to seat. Further, since the loading is accomplished fromva hose which contains fluid under pressure, it is necessary to insurethat a fluid tight connection is made between the house and the bodybefore either the valve at the tip of the hose or that yat the inlet tothe body is opened.

Referring /particularly to Figures 3 to 6, it will be Seen that lthehose 201 is tted with a tip, indicated generally by numeral 203,provided with an outlet port 205 which is closed by a valve 207, thestern of which is slidable iu boss 209. The spring 211 urges the valveto close the opening. The port is surrounded externally by an axialflange 213 which seats on a gasket 215 supported on the body 217.

The exterior of the tip has a sleeve 219 slidably mounted thereon andprovided with radial langes 221 and 223 extending respectively inwardlyand outwardly. A spring 225 acts on flange 221 to draw it to the left(Figure 3).

Referring particularly to Figures l and 6, the body 217 is formed with arecess 227 having a port 229 communieating with channel 13. This port isclosed by an outwardly opening valve 231 which has its stem 233 xed in abracket 235 which is slidably mounted on a rod 237. A spring 239, whichnormally surrounds the rod, bears on the bracket and holds the valveclosed.

A cam shaft 241 is mounted in suitable bearings 243 in body 217 (seeFigure 5), passes through an elongated slot 245 in bracket 235 andcarries a cam 247 which acts on a roll 249 on the bracket `to actuatethe latter to open the valve 231.

A tip locator 251 is slidably mounted on the guide 253 of the body 217and comprises a U-shaped, channel 255 v/lhich is open at the top forreceiving the flange 223 of t e tip.

The locator is guided upon a rod 257 supported by the body 217 and isurged outwardly relative to the body by a spring 259.

A pair of parallel arms 261 project past the body 217, one on each sidethereof and each arm is provided with a slot 263, through which an endof the cam shaft 241 projects. A cam 265 is Xed to each end of the camshaft and operates on a follower roll 267 carried by the correspondingarm 261 to move the locator relative to the guide 253 and body 217.

`A crank 269 is mounted on one end of the shaft to `actuate: it.

A latch pawl 271 is pivotally mounted on the locator 251 at 273, has anotch 275 at the end which faces guide 253 and is urged to position thenotch over the guide by a spring 277. A cam nose 279 on the pawlprojects through a slot 281 in the locator in the path of the nozzle tipso that when the tip is properly positioned in the locator, the latchpawl will be depressed against the action of its spring to free thelatch from the guide.

Operation With the parts in the Figure 1 position, the nozzle tip ispositioned with its ilange 223 over the channel 225 and moved to thelowermost position therein and pawl 271 is depressed to unlatchedposition. The crank 269 is then rotated in a counterclockwise directionto rotate Ithe cams 247, 265.

Cams 265 rst actuate rolls 267 land the locator to the plied to thevalve 77 which opens against the action of '(5 right (Figures l to 4)and draw the ange 213 into sealbuvaoasso'i ing relation with the gasket215, any excess travel of the positioner after the flange isl seated isabsorbed by the spring 225.

Near the end of the stroke of the crank, which is approximately 330degrees, the cam 247 actuates roll 249 to open valve 231 and this valvein turn forces valve 207 in the tip to its open position. The liow ofliquid` from hose 201 to channel 13 may start as soon as the valves areopen.

After the filling operation has been completed, the crank 269 is rotatedin a clockwise direction (Figure l) and the Valves 231, 207 are firstclosed and thereafter the locator is moved outwardly to the Figure 1position, whereupon the tip may be lifted from the channel.

It is impossible to open the valve 231 accidentally because the latchpawl Y2.71 engages the guide 253 when the nozzle tip is not in thelocator, to prevent Arotation of the crank.

M ultple compartment tanks tubing so that they will be flexible.

It is also possible to provide a series of valve bodies 7, all havingtheir inlets 15 connected with the channel 13 from the quick connectorand each having its outlet and probes connected with a particular tankcompartment so that each compartment individually or all could be filledat once, each valve shutting off the flow to its compartment when thelatter is full.

Overhead filling If desired, the valve mechanism comprising body 7 maybe fixedly installed on the usual loading rack instead of upon thetruck.

In such case the quick coupler mechanism is eliminated and a connectionis made directly to the supply pipe. The conduit S is connected to theusual discharge spout.

The tank compartments are fitted with probes and a connection must bemade from the probes to the diaphragm chambers. This system wouldoperate in the same manner as described above.

lt is obvious that various changes may be made in the form, structureand arrangement of parts Without departing from the spirit of theinvention. Accordingly, applicants do not desire to be limited to thespecific embodiment disclosed herein primarily for purposes of illustra-`2. In a quick connect mechanism, a conduit tip having a valve, aconduit provided with a receptacle having a valve, a locator slidablymounted on said receptacle, radially engageable means on said locatorand tip for aligning said tip axially with the receptacle, meansincluding a lever operable in an initial movement for slidably movingsaid locator in a direction to force said tip into sealing engagementWith the receptacle' and means operable by the lever in its finalmovement for thereafter opening said valves.

3. In a quick connect coupling, rst and second' cofiduits, rst armd`second connector members mounted the adjacent ends of the respectiveconduits, each cori'- nector member defining an axial flow passage andincluding an end wall disposed transversely thereof, said walls eachdefining a port, yieldable sealing means mounted on one end Wallsurrounding the port thereof, inter'- tion; but instead they desireprotection falling fairly within the scope of the appended claims.

This application is a division of Serial No. 160,266, filed May 5, 1950,now Patent No. 2,816,567, patented December 17, 1957.

What we claim to be new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of theUnited States is:

l. In a quick connect mechanism, a conduit tip having an outwardlyclosing valve, a conduit having a receptacle provided with an outwardlyopening valve, a locator mounted on said receptacle, means on saidlocator for engaging the tip and for aligning it with the receptacle,means mounted on said receptacle and including a lever which is operablethrough the initial portion of its stroke for relatively moving said tipand receptacle to establish a seal therebetween and means operable bythe lever through the final portion of its stroke for opening saidreceptacle valve, said receptacle valve comprising means for engagingthe valve in said tip to open same.

engageable means on' each member adapted when' erigage'd, to align andholdk said members with said ports in axial alignment and means formoving one member toward the other to compress said sealing means'between said walls to sealinglyconnect said ports.

4. The structure defined by claim 3 wherein said inter'- engageablemeans are disposed so as to be engaged vand disengaged by movement ofsaid members transversely of the; axis of said flow passages.

5. The structure defined by claim 3 wherein one'of said members ismovable and the other is fixed, said interengag'eable means'beingdisposed so as to b`e engaged and disengaged upon movement of saidmovable member transversely of the axes of said flow passages insubstantially vertical directions, the interengageable means on thefixed member being disposed so as to support the Weight of the movablemember.

6. The structure defined by claim 3 wherein said interengaging meansincludes means projecting transversely of and outwardly fromsubstantially opposite sides of one member, inwardly open groovedefining means on the other member for receiving said projecting means,said grooves being open at one end to admit said projecting means upontransverse movement of one member relative to the other in onedirection, and stop means for limiting the magnitude of said-movement toalign said ports in the direction of said movement, said projectingmeans and grooves being disposed to align said ports in directionstransversely of said direction of movement.

7. The structure defined by claim 6 wherein said projecting means is inthe form of a peripheral flange one portion of which also constitutesone part of the stop means.

8. The structure defined by claim 6 wherein said projecting means andone portion of said stop means are in the form of a peripheral flangeand wherein said groove means is adapted to receive substantially all ofsaid ange and forms the other portion of said stop means.

d 9. In a quick connect coupling first and second conduits, first andsecond connector members mounted on the adjacent ends of therespectiveconduits, each connector member defining an axial fiow passage andincluding an end wall disposed transversely thereof, said Walls eachdefining a port, yieldable sealing means mounted on one end wallsurrounding the port thereof, interengageable means on each memberadapted when engaged, to align and hold said members with said ports inaxial alignment, said -interengageable means including means projectingtransversely of and outwardly from substantially vopposite sides of onemember, inwardly open groove defining means on the other member forreceiving said pro'- jecting means, said grooves being open at one endto admit said projecting means upon transverse movement of one memberrelative to the other in one direction and stop means for limitingmagnitude of saidlmovement to align said ports in the direction of saidmovement, said projecting means and grooves being disposed to align saidports in directions transversely of said direction of movement, andmeans for moving said groove dening means toward said other member so asto compress said sealing means between said walls to sealingly connectsaid ports.

l 10. The structure defined by claim 9 which includes a valve movablymounted in each member to close the port thereof and means operableafter the compression of said sealing means for opening both of saidvalves.

11. The structure defined by claim 9 which includes a valve movablymounted in each member to close the port thereof and common meansconnected with said moving means for opening said valves ya'ter saidgasket is compressed.

12. In a quick connect coupling rst and second conduits, rst and secondconnector members mounted on the adjacent ends of the respectiveconduits, each connector member defining an axial flow passage andincluding an end wall disposed transversely thereof, said walls eachdefining a port, yieldable sealing means mounted on one end wallsurrounding the port thereof, interengageable means on each memberadapted when engaged, to holdsaid members with said ports in alignmentand means for moving one member toward the other to compress saidsealing means between said walls to sealingly connect said ports, avalve movably mounted in each member for closing the port thereof andmeans connecting Ysaid moving means to open said valves after saidsealing means is compressed.

13. The structure defined by claim 12 wherein said moving and connectingmeans are constructedand arranged yto close said valves and release saidsealing member in sequence upon reverse operation.

14. In a quick connect mechanism, a conduit tip having a valve, aconduit provided with a receptacle having a valve, aglocator .mountedfor axial movement on said receptacle, interengageable means on said tipand locator for aligning the `tipi with the receptacle and forconnecting the locator to move the tip, means including a lever operablein-an initial movement for moving said locator toward said receptacle toestablish a seal between the tip and the receptacle, and means operableby the lever, in its final movement, for opening said valves, means forpreventing said movement of said locator, and means responsive to thepositioning of said tip on theV locator in alignment with saidreceptacle for releasing said preventing means.

References Cited in the iie of this patent UNlTED STATES PATENTS-vsuwiwi...

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